Encourage local communities to adopt best practices regarding policing and other public services that directly affect homelessness.

Every municipality must take responsibility to address homelessness in their communities intelligently, effectively, and compassionately. A comprehensive approach would involve helping individuals and families access services, advocating for more local services when they are lacking, maintaining reasonable community standards, dealing effectively with the drugs and crime that often accompany homelessness, and investing in the training of police officers and other community officials.

Action Steps

Find out how your local police department interacts with your community’s homeless populations, and if necessary, challenge them to become more proactive, compassionate and effective in their community policing.

Volunteer with your local police department to walk or ride with them while they police the community.

Help your local homeless agency reach out to people on the streets before your local police carry out maximum enforcement.